Easy ideas for bringing people together

Tips for Parent-School Groups

Parent volunteers serve a key role in student success - from not only providing support to teachers and educators, but to giving students additional parent mentors and advisors who model the importance of education and involvement. Engage more parents and streamline communication with these 4 tips:

1. An easier way to get involved: School parents are busy, 'nuff said. Engaging them effectively means schools need to reach them on their smartphones, tablets and social media channels. Gone are the days of paper sign up sheets in the classroom and mind-numbing reply-all email chains.

2. A variety of jobs & times to help: Want to get more school parents involved in the classroom? Give them an array of ways to help! Some parents like a simple "pick up 24 chocolate cupcakes for the class party" task while others are looking to use their artsy side and help make cut outs for the bulletin board. Is their a community garden that needs some green thumbs?

3. A way to help from home: Making it into the classroom just isn't feasible for some working parents who still want to pitch in - offer ways for parents to help from home that keep them engaged with the classroom. They can update the school's facebook page, classroom blog or school website.

4. Appreciation: Parent volunteers don't do it for the recognition but a little goes a long way! A simple thank you from the room mom, a hand-written note from the principal or even a yearly luncheon are great, easy ways to say thanks and show parents how much their help means.

Top 5 Pieces of Advice for Moms

The first week back at school occurs after much anticipation and excitement to begin a new school year from both parents and students. After spending the summer at community pools, bonding over summer blockbusters and exchanging laughs over ice cream cones, summer’s close introduces a bittersweet perspective for parents.

Before sending our future leaders off to learning, make sure to follow a few guidelines to ensure a smooth return to the world of academia.

1. Prepare a balanced breakfast to kick your child’s day off right.

It is no surprise breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is a necessity during the school year. Fix a healthy and satisfying meal by incorporating fruit, protein and tastiness.

2. Run through a checklist of your child’s supplies to make sure they have everything they need this school year.

Create a back-to-school list, including all required supplies your student needs. Make sure to plan out the best deals ahead of time as well.

3. Encourage your child about the first day.

The first day of school falls under its own category of emotion everyone can identify with, which includes knotted nerves and a sleep filled with tossing and turning. Make sure your child is excited about a new school year by instilling the importance of learning, making new friends and advancing to a new phase in life.

4. Plan the year accordingly.

A bulk of newsletters and notices will surely come home when you pick up your child from school. Begin organizing your child’s schedule of events as you received different notices from teachers during the first week – conferences, carnivals, plays and special events.

5. Document the moment.

Always begin the new school year by capturing the moment. Build up future nostalgia and snap a photo of each first day of school. After years have passed, you will cherish your collection of priceless moments.

Active moms seem to do it all – chair the fundraising committee, help with the class party, schedule team snacks, oh and get dinner on the table! Every superhero needs a sidekick and these mobile applications help Supermom clear her full plate and save the day time and time again. Lighten the load and give these apps a try.

1. CafeMom: Our favorite online community for moms, CafeMom brings women together to laugh, support and give advice to one another. Covering everything from parenting hot topics to advice, health, fashion, you name it - Café Mom has got you covered. Click here

2. Cozi Family Organizer: The ultimate family calendar lies within this one application. Cozi Family Organizer does more than you can think of to keep every family member on the same page. Share grocery lists, memos or a simple hello for the whole family to see through this one app. Download application for iPhone and iPad here

3. NextDoor: Let’s face it - we are all too busy to attend weekly town meetings, but don’t let that stop you from staying in tune with your community. NextDoor is a private social network application that allows you to keep up with your neighbors about anything and everything. Download application for iPhone and iPad here

4. eMeals: Now you can always have an answer for, “What’s for dinner?” Let eMeals plan your meals and offer you tips on new recipes that are both healthy and tasty. This application further finds the best deals when grocery shopping and organizes your lists according to your dish of preference. Download application for iPhone and iPad here

VolunteerSpot: Save time organizing all the people and projects in your life with free online signups and scheduling tools from VolunteerSpot. Get more help for that back-to-school teacher luncheons, coordinate team snack schedules in minutes, even sign fundraiser volunteers up in a snap - it's easy! Click here to get started.

Summer Learning Games & Creative Activities for Kids

Just because summer learning is a priority with the kids out of school, doesn't mean it has to be boring! We love these 5 summer learning activities that combine creativity, imagination (and secret codes too!), check them out:

Ease Parent Introductions with These Fun Activities

Back-to-school season is as anxious for educators as it is for students and parents, especially since they have two first days back at school. A teacher’s introduction is a significant factor in the development of the school year and in the relationships formed between students and teachers.

Ease any tension in your classroom by getting to know students and parents with some unique icebreakers to create a comfortable environment. These conversation starters will make those back-to-school nights run smoothly and leave you understanding those in your classroom better.

1. Pair up and ask one person to draw anything without allowing the other person to see. Then when time is up, have the illustrator describe their drawing to the second person and see if he or she’s drawing matches the first person’s.

2. Either pair up and sit in a group and ask questions relating to the classroom (i.e. favorite subject when in school, favorite school memory and etc).

3. Instruct parents to list as many coming-of-age movies in one minute.

4. As parents walk into the classroom, have them select an M&M. Once everyone is present, inform him or her that each different colored M&M falls under a different category or question. For example, those with red M&Ms answer the question: “What was your first car?”

5. Break into pairs or small groups and choose what person, dead or alive, would the other like to have dinner with and why and present to the classroom.

6. Instruct parents to pair up with someone they do not know and draw a picture of the other person in 45 seconds.

7. Create a BINGO card with slots full of things parents have done relating to school and have them try to get BINGO by finding other parents in the classroom that can initial off each slot. For example, one slot on the card can have “Majored in business.”

8. Ask parents to look into their handbag or wallet and ask them to choose something significant to them. Then they have to share why that item is significant to them with others.

9. Break parents into small groups and ask them to take turns telling the group three true things about themselves and a lie, leaving the rest of the group guessing which is the lie.

10. Ask parents to create an alliteration poem using their child’s name on poster boards. For example, if a parent had a child named Beth: Brave Enthusiastic Talented Hilarious

11. Go around the room and ask parents to say their name accompanied with an adjective using alliteration (i.e. Marvelous Miranda). After each person says his or her name, the next person has to recite every person prior to him or her and build to the chain of introductions.

12. Ask parents to introduce themselves and share one thing that they learned when they were their child’s age.

13. Create a small quiz relating to the designated class and have parents participate by testing their knowledge on the subject.

14. Ask parents to create a slogan for their child and share with the classroom.

15. Go around the classroom and ask parents if they were in school today, what would they bring for show-and-tell and why.

16. Have each parent write down a question. Ask them to walk around the classroom while playing music. When the music stops, parents have to ask whomever they are standing next to their question. Ask parents to write down a different question for the next round.

17. Create a quick game of charades by having parents act out well-known TV/Movie teachers.

18. Have each parent write down three things about him or herself on a sheet of paper. When they have done so, ask them to crumble up the paper and have a snowball fight for 30 seconds. Then ask parents to pick up a snowball and try to find whom it belongs to.

19. Ask parents to share three adjectives that describe both them and their child.

20. Break parents into groups and ask them to create a life supply list for their children at their age.

Feel free to mix things up by breaking parents into pairs and having them introduce the other after a certain amount of time or have everyone sit in a circle and take turns answering questions. Make sure to keep questions light and enjoyable for your attendees and most importantly have fun getting to know each other.

For more inquiries on simplifying volunteership in the classroom, ditch the clipboard signups at back-to-school night and switch to VolunteerSpot's free online sign ups with reminders. Sign parents up on the spot with an iPad or mobile phone, or let them know that online sign up links will be emailed out at a later date.

The Tobin School is a small, independent day school in Natick, MA. Founded in 2004, the day school began with five students and has grown to more than 80 students in their Pre-K through 5th Grade program. The school has a strong commitment to community service and just celebrated its 8th annual Family Volunteer Fair.

Today our spotlight shines on Lori Davis, Head of School, who uses VolunteerSpot's online signup sheets to organize volunteers for their annual Family Volunteer Fair.

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Tell us about your role as a parent volunteer leader.

Eight years ago we set out to create an event that would feature child- and family-friendly community service projects done throughout our School building and grounds that would allow families to enjoy a day together while helping others. This first event has grown to now be the hallmark of our School's community service efforts. This year's 8th Annual event supported the work of more than ten different non-profits who help others in our local community and around the nation. Each year we are amazed at how much good we are able to accomplish at our annual Family Volunteer Fair. Just look at all we accomplished at this year's Fair:

We decorated 37 welcome and get well cards as well as four canvas signs to welcome families staying at Christopher's Haven in Boston. We also were able to donate a large box of jar candles, activity books for kids and adults, and soft, fluffy socks to become part of each families' welcome basket.

We raised $136.76 from our used book sale to donate to Read Out and Read

We donated three large boxes of unsold books to the Morse Institute Library in Natick to use for the semi-annual book sales for the Friends of the Library.

We raised $72.00 from our cupcake walk to go to "The Cupcake Charity".

We raised $188.20 at our annual Alex's Lemonade Stand to go toward their great work fighting children's cancer.

We collected 6 large size 100 piece puzzles from our Puzzle to Remember drive--three will be donated to the Natick Community Senior Center and three will go to Kindred Nursing & Rehabilitation in Wellesley.

We decorated 64 beautiful blank journals and donated a total a total of 210 plain and decorated journals to The Home for Little Wanderers in Boston.

Between our efforts at The Tobin Children's School and in our building, we made a total of 139 friendship bracelets, necklaces and rings to give to Handmade to Hospitals. Also between the two buildings on this day, we decorated and filled 245 snack bags which have been delivered to A Place to Turn Food Pantry (and they were so happy!) And we collected two VERY large boxes of candy to go to the troops through Operation Gratitude!

How do you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate your parent volunteers?

As you can imagine, an event of this magnitude takes a lot of planning, donations, and volunteers. We used to just post sign ups and do emails, but last year we tried an online sign up. It was a help but nothing nearly as comprehensive as what VolunteerSpot allowed. We were able to use VolunteerSpot to easily post all the supplies we needed for donations, all the shifts needed for the day of the event, make easy changes when necessary--and all of it looked so professional! I loved that donors/volunteers got a thank you message back (they thought it was right from me!) and a reminder as the date approached. And best of all, it was all handled through one event listing on VolunteerSpot, instead of multiple forms. Parents found it easy to use and convenient to sign on whenever they had only a few spare moments.

What other activities are you involved in as a volunteer or volunteer leader?

I have already used VolunteerSpot to assist us in planning a School Family Fun Night. I posted the event on the site so parents could easily RSVP to join us for an evening magic show and to do a simple sign up for potluck items, beverages and paper goods. I know I will get a lot of usage from VolunteerSpot for other events in the future!

What’s one piece of advice you have for parent volunteers out there?

Go ahead and ask for donations and help! Families can be so generous for a good cause. You may be worried about asking for too much, but I am always pleasantly surprised!

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

I read about VolunteerSpot in an issue of PTO Today Magazine. It sounded so much better than what we had been using before--and it was!

We love that this event helps everyone think outside of themselves and to help others. Each year this is an exhausting event, but I am always so proud by what we are able to accomplish as a school community!

We salute Lori and all the other volunteers out there making a difference in our children's education. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at VS@volunteerspot.com.

4 Questions to Ask When Volunteering with Your Kids

Dive into summer service fun with your family this season and find new, fun ways to give together! Don't know where to start? Keep these 4 questions in mind . . .

1) What is truly the best time to do it? Summer months can quickly fill up with camps, reunions, vacations, you name it - it might seem like squeezing in a service project between other commitments is your best option, but it's not! Volunteer time with family is best spent when you're not running to and fro, when kids are really taking the time to give back and think about how they're making a difference. Find a whole morning or afternoon to spend volunteering and catching up afterwards with the kids, that truly makes all the difference.

2) What do the kids want to do? You would be surprised at what creative and inventive service ideas kids can come up with! Instead of signing kids on for food pantry duty, ask them what they might be interested in doing volunteer-wise; perhaps the local animal shelter is calling them, or they would prefer to do something from home like bake goodies for a neighbor.

3) Do your kids want to bring their friends? Volunteering can be even more impactful when kids are making memories with their friends while they make a difference! Big volunteer groups are great for community and river clean-ups, sorting and packing at the food bank or fixing a meal at a local children's shelter.

4) What are your kids learning? Volunteering with family can teach empathy, kindness, determination, organization . . . the list goes on! What are your kids taking away from volunteering? How is serving together making your family stronger? Encourage kids to talk about lessons they learned and experiences they had when serving - a follow up conversation can strike a chord in kids that helps them discover new ambitions and passions they pursue in life.

1. Voxer: Wrangling kids at the beach, the amusement park, the zoo? It's easy to send them a voice message with Voxer. No worrying about texting and auto-correcting, Voxer works with a push-to-talk walkie talkie functionality (and saves your messages)! Click here

2. MyTennisLessons: You know your kid has been dying to try tennis for years now, it's so easy to find a coach near you and get started with MyTennisLessons.com! Whether just learning to play or looking to take tennis to the next level, My Tennis Lessons helps fit fun lessons perfectly into your busy schedule.

First, search our qualified tennis coaches to find one that matches your needs. Then choose your lesson package (for you or your kids), court location and time most convenient to you. It’s simple to get started, click here!

3. VolunteerSpot: Coordinate summer potlucks, family reunion schedules, summer service projects and more with free online sign ups and scheduling! With 24/7 access from computers and mobile devices PLUS automated reminders, this modern scheduling tool will save you time and stress. Click here

4. Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge: Encourage kids to put down the tablet and grab a book for awhile with interactive games and tracking from Scholastic! Click here

5. Sky Guide: Just looking for some nighttime R&R? Take the kids outside and pop them down with Sky Guide, the coolest app that shows kids constellations and stars with the simple point of their phone or iPad up at the sky. Click here

Heritage Classical Study Center is a small, accredited Independent Learning Center in Georgia. It is a university-model academy which meets one class day per week for lectures, group interaction, debate, tests, and more. Most of the students have been educated at-home and are looking for the addition of classroom time and structure, without going to a public or private school.

Founded in 1999, Heritage CSC offers group tutorials in the classical liberal arts curriculum. Students and their families are involved in the study of the classical languages (Latin and Greek), history, literature, logic, philosophy, government, economics, and rhetoric (speaking and writing). Through the course of their studies, students are exposed to the great books (usually in their entirety) as well as the art, music, people and culture of Western Civilization.

Please tell us about your organization and your volunteer needs.We have a small teaching staff with one per classroom. We prefer to have at least two extra adults in each building at all times for several reasons. First, it increases the safety of both the teacher and the students. Secondly, it is a big benefit for our parents to see and enjoy what goes on in their child’s classroom. We ask for 1-2 volunteers per class day. Since we have 3 campuses, each meeting one day per week, our needs are 3-6 adults per week. These parents are asked to observe, enjoy and be “on-call” in case of emergency.

Explain how you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate these volunteers.At the beginning of the school year, I add all the class dates into VolunteerSpot. Because the three campuses are totally separate (different families) and they meet on different days of the week, I use three separate Volunteer Spot pages. The newly-introduced GROUP PAGE is my favorite thing about VolunteerSpot at the moment. I can send ALL my families to one page, and they can choose their campus/day.

What’s one piece of advice you have for volunteers or their leaders out there?Because our organization is so small and our specific needs are not great, I’m not sure I have a piece of advice other than “TRY VOLUNTEERSPOT regardless of your size or needs.” The benefit of hands-free maintenance of volunteers is incredible. Once I set the weeks up, and alert the parents, I just sit back and watch…and cheer!

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?Previously I used another online sign-up website. It got the job done, but when I heard that Volunteer Spot sent out reminders, I was thrilled. I’ve never looked back…

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about your organization or volunteering?The parents seem to really like the use-friendliness of VolunteerSpot. I send them the url for signing up and they have found it easy to do so. The monthly calendar allows the volunteers to easily see what is needed and when. The reminders are wonderful for the parents, and the heads-up emails that I receive regarding upcoming volunteers is a bonus.

We salute Janene and all the other volunteers out there making a difference in our ministries. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at VS@volunteerspot.com.

School is out, summer is in session and the kids are ready to reach out for those chips and ice cream. As a mother, a common challenge is encouraging your children to choose spinach over sweets, but here are some treats that will let your little ones have their cake and eat it too (healthy cake, that is).

Temperatures are rising and what goes better with summer than a delicious snow cone to cool you down? Typically, snow cones are smothered with fattening artificial syrup, but replace the artificial with the real thing to quench your child’s sweet taste buds. Also check out how you can make your own ice cream to put your snow cone on top at Real Simple.

Another summertime treasure is the traditional sticky yet savoring popsicle. It does not go without surprise that this delicacy can also do without the artificial flavoring in replacement of your fruits of preference.

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Greens for all ages

It is all about presentation when getting crafty with your ingredients. This is your chance to be creative and produce a snack that’s delicious, original and give your kids no idea they're eating healthy.